History

Many colonial settlers who gained prominence in America arrived in Westmoreland County, Virginia as immigrants during the mid 1600s. These wealthy Westmoreland planters had the money to purchase the labor of indentured servants imported from the British Isles. In the early eighteenth century, historians estimate that Westmoreland had more English transported convicts serving labor terms within its bounds, than any other Virginia county.[2] Hence, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the area became the first home to many poor immigrants, before they moved to frontier areas to stake out cheap land.

Parent County

1653--Westmoreland County was created 5 July 1653 from Northumberland County. County seat: Montross [1]

Places/Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

Resources

Getting Started

Compiled genealogies are a good place to start research for this area, see Westmoreland County, Virginia Genealogy.

If you are researching families who lived in Westmoreland County, Virginia between the 1700s and 1750s, the Sparacios' books are a great time saver. They comprehensively index several publications covering that period:

Dozier, Richard. Historical Notes Concerning the Planting of Baptist Principles in the Northern Neck of Virginia: Text Book from 1771 : Sermons Preached from the Within Texts and Heard by me, Richard Dozier, son of Thomas in Westmoreland County, Virginia. [Incomplete citation from Google Books.]

Beale, George W. "The Early Churches of Northern Neck (Beulah Hinton Marsh)--Aquia Church in Stafford County, Christ Church Lancaster County, Farnham Church in Richmond County, Lamb's Creek Church in King George County, St. Mary's White Chapel in Lancaster County, St. Paul's Church in King George County, Yeocomico Church in Westmoreland County--Baptist Churches of White Marsh in Lancaster, Morattico Baptist, Nomini in Westmoreland, Farnham in Richmond, Hanover Baptist in King George 4. A Ride Through Westmoreland County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 2 (1952).

Early Virginia Religious Petitions, courtesy of The Library of Congress, American Memory, has placed eight petitions from residents of Westmoreland County, Virginia dated 1778, 1778, 1785, 1785, 1785, 1786, 1786, and 1786 online. Principally, they concern matters of the Church of England. Petitions are valuable to genealogists because they contain lists of names of residents of the community.

Mason, George Carrington. "The Colonial Churches of Westmoreland and King George Counties, Virginia, Part I," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 56, No. 2 (Apr. 1948):154-172. Available at JSTOR ($).

Mason, George Carrington. "The Colonial Churches of Westmoreland and King George Counties, Virginia, Part II," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul. 1948):280-293. Available at JSTOR ($).

Mayo, Wat Tyler, Walter Randolph Crabbe and S. Downing Cox. A Sketch of Yeocomico Church (Built 1706) in Cople Parish, Westmoreland County, Va: With a Reference to the Bicentennial Celebration on July 15, 1906, and the Movement to Raise an Endowment Fund for the Preservation of the Church. C.F. Sudwarth, 1906.

Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation. Stratford, Colonial Home and Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia: Birthplace of Robert E. Lee and of Two Signers of the Declaration of Independence. B.S. Adams, 1940.

"The Colonial Mansion and Grounds at Wakefield Near Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 14, Index to Vol. 14 (Jan. 1934). Available at JSTOR ($). [Photograph]

United States. National Park Service. George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Westmoreland County, Virginia: "Wakefield," Washington's Birthplace: The Memorial Mansion Marking the Site of the House in Which George Washington was Born. 1938.

Immigration

Headright grants identify many Westmoreland County, Virginia Genealogy immigrants who arrived before 1720.[7] The Virginia Immigration article provides tips about using this source.

Crozier, William Armstrong, ed.. Virginia County Records, New Series. Vol. I, Westmoreland County. Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, USA: The Genealogical Association, 1913. Digital version available at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($). Includes will abstracts, 1654-1794, and land grants, 1653-1793.

Eaton, David Wolfe. Historical Atlas of Westmoreland County, Virginia: Patents, Showing How Lands were Patented from the Crown & Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia, Including Some History of the Patentees, Indians, Church & State, Parishes, Ministers, Prominent Men, Surveys, Portraits, Maps, Airplane ... The Dietz Press, 1942.

Maps

Eaton, David Wolfe. Historical Atlas of Westmoreland County, Virginia: Patents, Showing How Lands were Patented from the Crown & Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia, Including Some History of the Patentees, Indians, Church & State, Parishes, Ministers, Prominent Men, Surveys, Portraits, Maps, Airplane ... The Dietz Press, 1942.

Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. FHL Collection; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Westmoreland County militia officers in 1680 and 1699; see place name index.]

Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. FHL Collection; digital version at Google Books. [Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch [French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War] with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Westmoreland County, see p. 102.]

Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. FHL Collection; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some militia officers in Westmoreland County in 1758; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War

Regiments. Service men in Westmoreland County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Westmoreland County supplied soldiers for the:

O'Dell, Jeffrey M. "The War of Independence and the Northern Neck of Virginia," [Chapter III, Westmoreland County Associators, Justices, High Sheriffs, Widows and Husbands in Continental Service, Sons in Service] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).

"Resolution Opposing The Stamp Act, Adopted at Leedstown, Westmoreland County, Virginia, February 27, 1766, Memorialized on a Marble Table on the Wall of the Court House at Montross, Virginia. Transcript of the Resolution," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 1 (1951).

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital version at [1]Google Books. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Westmoreland County on page 133.]

War of 1812

List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Westmoreland County, p. 107. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Naturalization

Native American

Newspapers

Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. In addition, Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in this source and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia. These newspapers are valuable resources for all regions of Virginia.

Occupations

Beale, Lucy Brown. "Westmoreland County, Early Ordinaries in Westmoreland and Their Early Keepers," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 8 (1958).

Petitions

Early Virginia Religious Petitions, courtesy of The Library of Congress, American Memory, has placed eight petitions from residents of Westmoreland County, Virginia dated 1778, 1778, 1785, 1785, 1785, 1786, 1786, and 1786 online. Principally, they concern matters of the Church of England. Petitions are valuable to genealogists because they contain lists of names of residents of the community.

Fothergill, Augusta Bridgland Middleton. Wills Omitted from Original Publication of Wills of Westmoreland County, Va., by Augusta B. Fothergill: List Later Presented by the Author to Virginia State Library in Typewritten Copy. 1943.

King, George H.S. "Index. Westmoreland County Virginia. Deeds 1709-1804 and Wills 1755-1800. Unrecorded Wills and Deeds from a Folume at the Library of Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 22 (1972).

Lewis, James F. "Nuncupative Will of Gilbert Campbell, Westmoreland County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1974):227. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).

The Will of Edward Ransdell of Cople Parish in the County of Westmoreland, Va., 1724 [incomplete citation from Google Books.]

Westmoreland County, Virginia Wills, 1654-1800. Database available at Ancestry ($).

Digital Images of Westmoreland County Wills, 1755-1804. See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers

London Courts

Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Cople Parish, Leeds [Leedstown], Mattox, Nominy [Nomini Hall], Washington Parish, and Westmoreland County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

[1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. FHL Collection [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Westmoreland County is included in Vol. 2.]

[1865-1883] Mayo, William. Sale of Delinquent Lands: List of Real Estate in Westmoreland Co., Va., Delinquent for Non-Payment of the Taxes Assessed ... from 1865 to 1883, Inclusive ... Take Notice! on the 23rd day of August, 1886 ... I Shall Proceed to Sell All Lands Above Mentioned ... 1886.

Marriages

Headley, Robert K. Married Well and Often: Marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia 1649-1800: Marriages and Marriage References for the Counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Old Rappahannock, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003. FHL Collection

King, George H.S. "Some Westmoreland County Marriages 1691-1692," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jan. 1943):85. Available at JSTOR ($).

Lewis, James F. "Westmoreland County, Virginia, Marriages," [1780s-1840] The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1966):25-26. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These loose court papers were not filed properly and do not appear in some published abstracts of Westmoreland County marriages.]

Vital Record Substitutes

The Virginia Historical Society's Marriage and Obituary Index, 1736-1820 (newspaper abstracts) is available for free online. Images of the original index cards are browseable, arranged alphabetically by surname.

"Polls in Westmoreland County for Election of Burgesses [1744-1761]," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul. 1899):32. Available at JSTOR ($). Identifies candidates by name, but not voters.